Opposable Thumbs —

Tokyo Game Show to grow in 2007

If you think you'll miss the crushing masses of E3, you've got an alternative …

Organizers of the annual Tokyo Game Show have announced the timing for this year's show, which will be expanded from last years three-day run to four days and will begin on September 20.

The Tokyo Game Show dates back to 1996 and was a twice-a-year event until 2002. Show organizers have historically allowed the general public to attend part of the show. For this year's show, the last two days will be open to the public.

Although the Tokyo Game Show has been a major draw for Japanese developers, it has been overshadowed by the formerly huge E3 show. Last summer, however, the Entertainment Software Association decided that it was time to scale E3 down. The cost of putting on and exhibiting at E3 had spiraled out of control, and though the show was ostensibly open only to journalists and exhibitors, the relatively open registration process made it possible for those outside the press and gaming industry to attend.

With the reorganization of E3 and the masses of people expected to attend the Tokyo Game Show, many observers are asking whether these huge shows outlived their usefulness? An increasing number of developers are turning towards smaller in-house events where they can show their games to bloggers as well as the mainstream gaming press. These events allow the companies to show off their games in an optimal and controlled environment; without the cost of travelling to a tradeshow and buying booth space the bang for the buck is much higher. This is a trend that will probably continue as shows this large make it hard for even the big-name games to make an impression.

Thanks to Dave Girard for help with the Japanese translation. Ben Kuchera contributed to this story.

Eric Bangeman
Eric has been using personal computers since 1980 and writing about them at Ars Technica since 2003, where he currently serves as Managing Editor. Twitter@ericbangeman